The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-04-15

eyes, and lightish hair, that men go
crazy over; but Duke had too much
sense to fall in love with her. don't
think he would if he'd wanted to ever
so bad, for she was too big for him.
Most men is little shy about making
love to women that's bigger than they
are. And they amt TO blame. A little
man and big woman always look to
me like beginning n sentence with q
small letter, and putting the capital ut
the end of it. Bat then everyone to his
fancy.
Before that summer was out, Colo
mel Frampton died very suddenly, and
after the funeral II will was found by
which all the property fell to Duke, ex-
cept about five thousand pounds that he
gave to Annabel; and if Duke died with
out legal heirs, then Annabel, if she
outlived him, was to have the whole.
'When Duke went back to town that
autumn, he took Annabel with him, and
l never heard anything about any OF
'em until late next summer, for they did
not come back 10 No. 10 rs usual, at the
approach of warm weather. In fact,
nobody exactly expected Duke; for OF
COuicC IL SCCihNN anu lOnO-
some like for him alone, and Miss STAN
ley wouldn't like to come with him and
no women folks about the house, you
know Well, the fust Rows we heard
was that Duke Frampton was missing,
and that Annabel Stanley was married
to man by the name of Lampson.
This Lampson was u low sort of chap,
according to all accounts, and not good
for much ut living
'By-and-by there was letter como to
Annabel from man in London that
was her storv-saying that Duke had
died suddenly in II hotel there, and de.
string to know what disposition should
be make of his remains. Annabel and
her husband went on and got the body
and brought it down here, and there
was great funeral and poor Duke was
laid to rest in the burying ground just
back of the old house."
"And Annabel had the property"
''To be sure. Nobody thought Of dis
putting he: right. you know, and as to
No. 10, it's haunted. see light shine
through the creviccs of The shutters once
myself"
Hero Mrs. Brown finished her story
and her last swallow of coffee at the
same time, and went about her house
hold duties.
put on my shawl and took stroll
round the grounds of No. 10; but got
no new ideas in regard to it.
One determination, however, arrived
at Before many days ! would go inside
the grounds; YES, inside the house itself,
if possible. You know | have already
told you that had prying DISPOSE
ton. Forbidden things always possessed
a peculiar charm for me.
1t was about ten o'clock next night
when l left my room and stole softly
out into the street. Everything was
quiet, and in few moments l had
climbed the gate and found myself at
the cellar window. The old bars yield
ed quickly, and then with one blow of q
stone burst in the glass. and squeezed
myself through the narrow opening. /
lighted the candle / had taken with me
and looked around the place. 1t was
very damp there; the ceiling was hung
with cobwebs and the air was foul and
mouldy. l soon found the stairs; to my
joy the door wast4Rot fastened. 1t ad-
nitted ME into q Square room which /
judged had been the kitchen, for the
walls were ornamented with pots and
pans and other kitchen utensils.
tried the first door at the left, and
found myself in q hall with doors lead
ing in every direction, and at the OK
treme end Il staircase. assembled the
stairs, which brought me to another
bo1I cno,ou,bot eo,o1l or than Tho Gr.+
but with quite as many doors. tried
the nearest; it was fast; several more
were in the same conditions; others al
lowed me to look into damp, mouldy-
smelling chambers, bare of furniture,
and so dismal looking generally that
was glad to close the door again, and
shut myself out from the thousand inn
aginary horrors which seemed ready to
burst out upon me from those gloomy
apartments.
The last door / opened was at the
back of the hall towards the center of
the building, and it opened into
or closet-a mere box of
place, hung around with some half
worn clothing and few old maps. A
rubbish hole, very evidently.
Now what made me decide, the mo-
ment stepped inside it, that there was
the key to all that desired to solvcp
/ looked for door out of the press
other than the one by which had en-
tered, and soon found it. A bundle
of old curtains hung over it, and it was
bolted on the outside. With
fingers 1 slid back the bolt
and entered q room beyond-an oval
apartment, destitute of windows, and
having one door at the upper extrem-
ity. This door, also, was bolted.
had gone too far to retreat. Do
you ask Inc if / was not afraid? do
not remember that thought anything
about fear
/ drew back this bolt, opened the
door, and passed through; and rs | did
so cold current of air eNtinguished my
candle and left me in total darkness. /
felt strangely, must confess. A cold
breath seemed freezing the life from my
Inns and was permeated with the sense